Improvement in gar-couplings



2 Sheets-Sheet I.

J. o. au J. A..T1SE. Car-Coupling.

No. 218,339. Patented Aug. A5, 1879.

IN VENT-m15. I 0.731119 Qfl. re,

WITN E ".PETERSy FHOTOL TNOGRAFHER WASHINGY D C 2 Snheets-Sheet 2, J. G.8u J. A. TISE. Car-Coupling.

HH arn e y.

removed.

JACOB O. TISE AND JOHN A. TISE,

IMPROVEMENT IN nl! nenti? mit.,

OF WINSTON, NORTH CAROLINA.

CAR-OUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 218,339, dated August5, 1879; application filed June 14, 1879.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, JACOB C. TIsE and JOHN A. TIsE, of Winston, in thecounty of Forsyth and State of North Carolina, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Gar-Couplings, of which the following is aspecication.

Our invention relates to that class of devices which are used for theautomatic coupling of cars on railroads; and its object is to simplifythe construction of such car-couplings, and increase the security ofconnection between the cars. v

The improvements will be fully hereinafter described, a preliminaryexplanation being deemed unnecessary.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of oneof the draw-heads with the coupling link or bar inserted, the end of acar being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a view of the draw-head withthe top Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view of thedraw-heads. Fig. 4L is a view of the link.

The. letter A designates the two draw-heads, each composed ofthe twosections A A, the front section, A', of which is provided with theflaring jaws a, to receive and guide the coupling-link to the point ofits engagement. In rear of each of the jaws a are the recesses a', oneof the end walls of each forming the shoulder a, which engages thecoupling link or bar.

The coupling link or bar B is yoke-shaped, with its upper surfacecurving upward from the center to the ends, while its center passesthrough a slot in the buffer or fender G, which is pivoted to it, andprevents the ends of the coupling-link B from entering too far into therecesses a'.

The under surface of the coupling-link B is cut away at each end,forming the shoulders b, which engage with the shoulders ct'. of therecesses a', while each end of the couplinglink B is beveled, in orderto slip readily up the inclines of the Baring jaws a.

The shafts D pass through the recesses c', rockin g in suitable bearingson journals, which are prolonged beyond the walls of the recess toreceive the hand-wheels E', by which the device is operated.

Immediately behind the daring jaws a', and abutting against theirshoulders a, are placed the pivoted latch-plates E, which rock uponsuitable bearings in the walls of the recess a', upon the pivots e,which are formed by cutting away the plates. To the opposite ends and atthe lower edge of each latch-plate are secured the eyes e' e".

To each of the rock-shafts D is attached the yoke d, which projects fromit, while the arm d projects from the rock-shaft D at apoint nearlyopposite the eye e, with which it is connected by means of the link d.

Immediately below the shafts D are situated the shafts F, which rock insuitable bearings, and have at one end a circumferential series ofsockets to receive a lever, j', which bears against the rear wall of thesection,

while the spring-arms G are secured to thel ends of the shafts F, andhave their opposite ends attached to the eyes e on latch-plates E bymeans of the links g.

The lever f may be inserted in either of the sockets of the shaft F, sothat the tension ofthe spring-arms G may be regulated at pleasure.

0n the projecting end of each shaft D, and at the inner side of thehandwheel E', is a ratchet-wheel, I; and pivoted to the draw-head or abracket at the side of the car is a pawl, k, which engages with theteeth of said wheel, so that when the shaft D is turned to throw theyoke d up to strike the top of the coupling -link and disengage it fromthe shoulder et, the said shaft and yoke will be retained in thisposition, so that when two cars of a train are to be uncoupled it is notnecessary for a person to remain between the cars and hold theoperating-lever until the cars are separated. If desired, the shaft Dmay be prolonged to reach beyond the side of the car, as shown in dottedlines, Fig. l, and carry the hand and ratchet wheel in such positionthat the operator need not go between the cars.

In the upper and lower walls of the flaring recessed or jaw portion ofthedraw-head are formed vertical pin-passages myadapted to receive thepin n, attached by a chain to the draw-head, so that ifa car having ourimproved automatic coupliug is shifted upon a road where our coupling isnot used, the car may be readily coupled with another carrying in itsdraw-head the ordinary loop-link and p When the shaft l) is prolonged toreach beyond the outer side of the car, we form the prolongation of theshaft D by a separate jointed rod, R, having its inner end provided witha socket to lit the squared end of the shaft D proper, and the twoportions r r of the jointed rod R are connected by flexible joints 1"',which may Vbe formed as shown or any of the ordinary universal jointsmay be used.

From the rear end of each of the adjustable front sections, A', of thedrawhead projects a tenou, T, having its sides provided with verticalribs 1. The tenon tits into a socket in the rear section, A", and theribs t ftinto grooves in the side walls of said socket. The verticaldepth ofthe socket is about onethird greater than the height of thetenou, so that the said tenon has room for vertical movement within thesocket. Through about the vertical center of the tenou is formed ascrewthreaded aperture, through which passes a correspondingly-threadedscrew, S, having its ends jourualed in the topand bottom walls of thesocket, the projecting upper end of said screw being provided with asuitable head or thumbpiece, T', by which the screw may be turned. Byturning the screw in one direction the tenon and adjustable section A'are raised in the socket, and by turning in the opposite direction saidtenon and section are depressed, so that the jaws of the coupling may beadjusted to correspond with the coupling devices of another car whichmay be arranged at a different elevation.

The rear sections ofthe draw-heads may be secured to cars by any of theordinary means.

Having thus described the various portions of our device, we will nowset forth the Inanner of its operation.

lf one end of the coupling-link B is engaged in one of the draw-l|eads Aof a car or truck, and the car or truck is brought near another one forthe purpose of coupling them together, the inclined plane b' on the freeend of the coupling link or bar B strikes the inclined plane of theiiaringjaw a, and rises over it until the end of the coupling lilik orbar meets the pivoted latch-plate E, pushes it back ward, rocking itupon its pivots until the shoulder b" passes under the latch-plate andbeyond the shoulder a" of the draw-head jaw, when both the latch-plateand the coupling-link drop down simultaneously. The shoulder b" of thelatter engages with and presses against the shoulder of flaring jaw,while the latch-plate E is shut down and kept shut by the resistance ofthe spring-arm G, and its lower edge, although at a sulicient distancefrom the coupling link or bar B to allow sufficient play vertically forthe motion of the car, prevents its end and shoulder from lifting out ofplace and becoming disengaged. The buffer or fender (l, moreover,prevents the coupling-link from passing too far into the recesses a'.

When it is desired to uncouple the cars the hand-wheel of one of theshafts D is turned, which rocks the shaft D, swings the latchplate E bymeans of the arm d' and link d", while the rocking shaft D throws theyoke d upward and forward until it strikes upon the lower side of thecoupling-link B and tilts it up, lifting the shoulder b" of the linkclear of the shoulder a" of Haring jaw a, when, as the cars separate, itslips out from between the yoke and the latch-plate. The latch-platewill remain raised until the pawl lc is disengaged from theratchet-wheel.

The mode of adjusting the front section to dierent elevations hasalready been explained.

What we claim is- 1. Thecombination,with the draw-head having a flaringjaw, a, and recess a' in rear of the same, forming a shoulder, a", ofthe shaft D, carrying the yoke d and arm d', link d", attached to saidarm, pivoted latch-plate E, with which the said link is connected,rocking shaft F, having lever f, and spring-arm G, attached to the saidshaft and connected with the lower portion of the latch-plate, allsubstantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with the shaft I) and latch-plate E, suitablyconnected together for joint action. of a jointed rod, R, adapted toconnect with said shaft at its inner end, the hand-wheel E' on the outerend 0f thejointed shaft, ratchet-wheel I, and pawl lc, all substantiallyas and for the purpose described.

3. The sectional draw-head composed of the socketed rear section, A",and movable front section, A', having a square tenou, l", adapted to thesocketed section, and provided with a transverse opening, in combinationwith the adjustable screw-bolt S, passing through the draw-head andthrough the passage in said tenou, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

4. In combination with the coupling-link B, the centrally-pivoted andvibrating buffer or fender C, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our handsin the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JACOB OICERO TISE. JOHN ADISON TISE.

Witnesses:

J. H. MAsTEN, JACOB Trsn.

